smoke and mirrors
by perfectlyrose
Summary: The Doctor's injured and he and Rose must find a place to camp for the night. Making a fire to ward off the cold turns out to be a more complicated process than anticipated. (Nine/Rose magic UA) [Part of the Everyday Magic verse but can be read separately]


Part of the Everyday Magic verse but can be read separately. Set a week after "magic or madness"

* * *

"Just a little bit further, Doctor," Rose said soothingly, trying not to let on how quickly she was tiring as she supported the majority of his weight. He'd been injured as they fled the capital city of Deritgin and there was no way they would be able to make it all the way back to the TARDIS in the condition he was in.

"You've been sayin' that for fifteen minutes," he groused. He tried to take more of his weight and winced when his left leg buckled under him.

Rose stumbled with him but kept them both upright. "Stop trying to do that, it's not helping," she snapped. "I can see a cave of sorts up ahead and we're going to stop there so I can tend to that wound and we can warm up."

The Doctor glanced down at the top of her head guiltily. He hadn't even registered the ambient temperature of the planet. As it the sun went down the temperature had dropped to near freezing and Rose was just in jeans and a light hoodie that was not nearly enough protection.

"If we stop for a minute I can give you my jacket. Don't feel the cold as much, me."

"Not the time to be bragging about your superior physiology," Rose said, voice light and teasing. "I'll be fine until we get to the cave, no sense in stopping our momentum now."

He made an assenting noise and they continued their slow forward shuffle towards shelter. It was another five minutes before they finally made it into the small cave. Carefully, Rose maneuvered them both to the ground, trying to be mindful of the large gash on the Doctor's side and his injured leg.

"We need a fire," Rose said definitively after she'd disentangled herself from the Doctor. "It's already too dark in here to see your wounds properly and I wouldn't mind a bit of heat either."

"Good plan." He sat up straight with a wince and started wrestling his leather jacket off his arms. Rose started to protest but he silenced her with a look. "Don't argue, you're gonna freeze out there if you don't have another layer."

She just nodded and took the jacket from him and shrugged it on. It dwarfed her but she was immediately engulfed in warmth and a sense of being completely safe. She had a feeling it was because it felt like she was wrapped in him.

After ensuring that he'd be alright on his own and being shooed out of the cave in response, Rose started scouring the area around the entrance for kindling. She made a face as she picked up the first stick.

It was wet. This was going to make for a difficult time getting warm if all the potential firewood was also damp. She gathered as much as she could anyways and took it back to the cave where the Doctor was leaning against the wall, eyes closed.

Rose set the wood down quietly and went out for another armful. Once she deemed she had the proper amount she set about building a small campfire. The wood arranged to her liking, she started digging in the pockets of the Doctor's jacket, looking for one of the countless books of matches he kept in there.

She gave a soft noise of triumph when she found one and the Doctor opened his eyes.

"Just gonna get this lit and then we can take a look at your injuries," she promised. She struck a match and held it to the kindling at the base of the assembled wood. The flame just sizzled and died against the damp wood.

She glanced up and met the questioning look being directed at her. It was hazier than normal but still effective. "Wood's wet."

"Use the sonic. Setting 692b should do the trick."

Rose stuck her hand in the pocket he usually kept the sonic in before grimacing.. "You gave the sonic to Jack before we separated."

The Doctor let his head bang back against the stone wall.

"Oi, no need to hurt yourself any more just cause you're frustrated!"

"We can't stay here without a fire, Rose. You'll freeze, jacket or no." His gaze was piercing and his tone brooked no argument.

She bit her bottom lip, considering her next words. "I could light the fire. Magically."

He just nodded towards the wood in a go ahead gesture

Rose said the proper incantations and gestured in patterns that the Doctor couldn't quite place. Flames sprung to life and started licking at the wood, appearing to completely ignore the fact that the fuel was wet.

Rose carefully added a few more pieces of wood and then settled next to the Doctor. "Much better, yeah? Now I know you've got that gash in your side and something's wrong with your leg. What other injuries do you have that you're not telling me about?"

He glared at her halfheartedly. "I think that's it. You going to patch me up with magic, too?"

Rose snorted. "Never got the hang of healing magic. Mum can fix all the cuts and bruises and burns in a snap but I'm more likely to make things worse if I try." She paused and then stuck her tongue between her teeth in a mischievous smile. "I'm good at picking locks and setting fires though."

"Lucky me," he retorted.

Rose dug through his pockets until she came up with a first aid kit and a bottle of water. She took a drink from the bottle before handing it over to the Doctor along with a mild painkiller that was safe for him. Once he was done arguing about the necessity of the painkillers and had taken them with a drink of water she used the rest of the contents of the bottle to clear the area around his injuries.

The leg injury was a deep gash like the one in his side and had come perilously close to severely injuring muscle.

"Why were you so hesitant to use your magic to light the fire?" the Doctor asked as she started tending his leg wound.

She paused for a split second before continuing in her task but she didn't answer.

"Rose, it's just me. You can tell me," he coaxed.

"'S just, I meant what i said before." she said haltingly. "Magic makes most people nervous and you've only known about it and me for a week."

"I'm not most people, Rose." He put a hand over hers where she was working on bandaging his leg and squeezed gently.

"I know you're not," she said. "You're more important and I don't..." she paused. "I don't want this, my magic, to make things weird or different."

He didn't know how to tell her that he was fascinated by her magic because it was a part of her, didn't know how to tell her that he would never mind her using her magic, that he felt honored she had decided to share this part of herself with him. It was all just a mixed up sentiment and thought that wouldn't cohere into words so he just stayed silent.

Rose finished wrapping his leg and moved to take care of the gash in his side.

"You seemed to be more careful about this spell than you were with the ones you showed me last week," he said, finally breaking the thick silence.

"Fire has a mind of its own so I tend to be careful with it. Plus, despite what I said earlier, I don't light fires that often so I have to make sure I'm doing everything right. The spells I showed you before are ones I cast all the time so they're practically second nature," she explained.

"There, all cleaned and bandaged," Rose announced after another brief silence, this one more comfortable. "It's not much but it should hold you until we can get back to the TARDIS in the morning."

Her last few words were interrupted by a yawn.

The Doctor smiled down at her softly. "Get some sleep, Rose. I'll make sure the fire stays burning."

It took less than five minutes for her to fall asleep, still wrapped in his jacket and head pillowed on his good leg. Looking down at her he couldn't help running a gentle hand across her hair. The firelight was bouncing off of it and her skin, lending it a golden tinge that reminded him of the first time she had entrusted him with her secret. He hadn't seen it since but the image was burned into his memory.

He shook his head and smiled down at her, curling his fingers into the ends of her hair. She was a mystery, his Rose, and magic or no she was enchanting and he wouldn't have it any other way.

The sight of her asleep on his lap and wrapped in his beloved jacket warmed him more than the fire in front of him ever could.


End file.
